Dove Tales Newsletter
September 2010
Welcome to Sunday school!
Our new Sunday school year begins on Sunday, September 12th with our annual kick-off breakfast at 9:00 am in the Parish hall. Sunday school registration forms will be available during this time and after the 10:00 am service also. Please enroll your children, grandchildren and their friends as well. All are welcome!
On September 19th, please join us as Sunday school classes will begin at 9:00 am in the BEC. We are excited to be using a new curriculum this year for the younger children, ages preschool through fifth grade, titled “Weaving God’s Promises” – a curriculum for children in the Episcopal Church. The older children, middle and high school aged youth, will continue with Bible Study.
According to the author, Joanna Leiserson, “Weaving God’s Promises” is “…titled after our process of faith formation in which we learn how God’s promises of salvation are inextricably woven into our lives. The goal is to teach children the way of Christ, not only in the church but also in the world.” This year’s theme is ‘Weaving Our Faith’, which focuses on God’s love for us and how God stays with us no matter what. Each week though storytelling, prayer, sharing, and activities, we will explore lessons from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and what it means to be part of the household of God. Hope to see you there!
Music Notes Charlotte Paris
Church choirs can be like microcosms of what the Church is supposed to be: groups of individuals different in ability and background working together to create a unified or harmonized sound of praise to God. Occasionally someone may be called on to be a soloist- to speak alone- but for the most part, we work together and learn. Those who are further on their musical journeys are to help those just beginning.
I am happy to say that our little group works hard to be like what I have described above. We have members who have sung for years, had lessons, and who probably know more about choral music than I do. We have members who have little knowledge about singing, but who work diligently to learn and improve.
Maybe it is time for you to come and see what being in the choir is all about. We especially need more men in the group. I have picked music of varying styles and degrees of difficulty. And, as before, singers may join only for a season if they rather. We also still need at least two handbell ringers.
On September 12th, there will be an adult and handbell choir open house in the choir room after the 10 a.m. service. I will have the first season’s music out as well as information about rehearsals and dates of the seasons. Please stop by to ask questions, pick up information, and hopefully sign up to join an active and excited part of the church focused on community and worship.
Important dates: Wednesday, September 1, first adult choir practice at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, September 8, first handbell choir practice at 6 p.m.
Sunday, September 12, adult/handbell choir open house after
10 a.m. service
Sunday, September 19, 1st children’s choir practice after 10 a.m. serv.
Sunday, November 21, children’s presentation of musical,
Table for 5 Thousand at 9 a.m. in parish hall
Choir seasons: I: Sept 5-Thanksgiving
II: Thanksgiving-Christmas Eve and Lessons and Carols
III: January-Easter
IV: Easter-Feast of the Pentecost
Beginning the Journey to Generosity Maria Poindexter and Ann Williams,
2010 EMC Chairpersons
Generosity is a path that can take you closer to God, always unfolding in new and exciting ways. This year’s EMC is designed to not simply ask for money or focus on the realities of the budget, but to help you deepen your relationship with God as you embark on your journey to generosity. Walk with those in their journey with God’s generosity. We look at God’s faithfulness for his creation – Hannah, who was barren and receives the gift of child; Ruth, who was determined to remain with her mother-in-law Naomi after her husband’s death; and Job, who lost all his possessions and even his health, yet remained faithful and was restored to health and wealth. Please mark your calendar and join us for breakfast on EMC Sunday, October 17, and prayerfully consider your personal journey with God’s generosity.
Vestry Highlights Tommy Giles, Jr, Sr. Warden
Special Note: Many, many thanks go out to Karen Hawkridge and Andy Hornbaker for their leadership in the CARITAS program in July. For a week Emmanuel hosted meals, showers, laundry, transportation and housing for 32 homeless persons. We had so many volunteers throughout our church family pitching in with food donations, meal preparation, transportation, staying overnight, and the list of volunteer contributions just goes on and on. I dropped off some food one afternoon while everyone was out and looked at the room full of cots and a couple caught my attention. On these cots were stuffed animals. They were obviously the prized possession of child who has no home to go to. Boy, that was hard. Bless all of you for doing this and may God be praised for his bounty we enjoy and we should pray that our hearts will be filled with charity. There are too many little children whose only possession may be a pink, fuzzy toy animal.
Recent Events of the Vestry:
- Established a designated account, “Stained Glass Window Preservation Fund,” in order to allocate gifts and other monies to plan for the continuing care of the beautiful windows we have in our church.
- Approved the Second Quarter Financial Report. Performance to budget is on track for both revenue and expenses. The endowment payout from the Diocese is being reduced from 5% to 4.75% due to the economy; however, this will have no impact on the actual dollar amount we originally budgeted. Pledges are being received in accordance with budget projections for the period. Investment, new pledge & miscellaneous income are lower than budgeted. Organ maintenance is higher than budgeted due to temperature control variations impacting the organ’s performance. This has been resolved. Properties expenditures are higher than budgeted for the period. Designated accounts set aside for properties projects are covering the needs.
- Approved the possibility of publishing a new pictorial directory. While we are off-cycle for this, it was widely recognized that enough has changed that we should try to have our directory updated. This benefits all members and helps to welcome our newer members. A low-cost alternative approach to doing this is being researched. Ideally, we would try to take pictures in October and publish by the end of the year.
- The Vestry will not meet in August. Rather, the Vestry will participate in the annual Finance-sponsored joint Finance-Committee-Vestry meeting on August 25th. The focus of the meeting is 2011 budget preparation, EMC, and financial management procedures. This aligns with the kickoff of the EMC campaign, the beginning of the new program year, and provides orientation to new committee chairs.
Notes From the Office
The Church office will be closed on Monday, September 6th for the Labor Day Holiday. The office will also be closed on Friday, September 17th.
Bible Study and Discussion Group
The Tuesday morning Bible Study group will begin its fall semester on Tuesday, September 7, 2010. Please join us at 10:00 am in the Norma Stewart room in the BEC for a lively review and discussion of the Scriptures based on readings from the Lectionary cycle.
The deadline for the October issue of Dove Tales is September 17, 2010.
Proclaiming God's love in Jesus Christ
Emmanuel Episcopal Church at Brook Hill is a congregation of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia.
The Right Rev’d Shannon S. Johnston - Bishop
'The Right Rev'd David Colin Jones - Bishop Suffragan
The Rev. John R. West, Jr. - Rector
The Rev. Canon Charles L. Poindexter, The Rev. Barbara T. Duncan, The Rev. Alwin Reiners, Jr., and The Rev. David M. Warner - Priests-in-Residence
The Vestry: Mr. Tom Giles Jr.- Senior Warden; Mr. Joseph Hayes- Junior Warden; Mrs. Jennifer L. Spangler - Register
Mr. Thornton Clary, Mr. Gary Davis, Mr. Malcolm Dickerson, Mr. Andy Hornbaker, Mrs. Marilyn Malone, Mr. Ben Paris, Ms. Maria T. Poindexter, , Mrs. Lillian A. Weber & Ms. Ann M. Williams.
Financial Officers: Mr. J. Thomas Sears - Treasurer; Mr. G. Edward Dalton - Assistant Treasurer
Ministry Committee Chairmen: Mr. Grant Revell - Stewardship; Mr. Tom Giles. Sr. - Memorials; Mr. Gary Davis - Properties; Mrs. Susan Loan - Worship; Mr. Alan McLeod. - Finance; Mrs. Ann Williams - Pastoral Care; Mrs. Jennifer Spangler - Planned Events; Ms. Amelia Spitler - Acolyte Master; Mr. Howard Fletcher and Mr. Warren Tinsley, Co-chairs- Newcomers; Mrs. Betsy Gragnani, Nursery coordinator; Mrs. Kathryn Hornbaker, Coffee hour coordinator; Mrs, Mary Jo Giles, Kitchen coordinator.
2010 Diocesan Council delgates: Mrs. Susan Loan & Mr. Ben Cleary,
Staff: Mrs. Trudy N. Bavolack - Parish Administrator; Mrs. Beth Atkinson - Administrative Assistant; Mr. Jerome L. Johnson - Sexton;; Mrs. Charlotte Paris - Director of Music; Mr. Tom St. Clair.- Cemetery Manager; Mr. Leroy A. Williams - Groundskeeper
Celebrate our faith and feed our Christian Spirit; Prepare our children and youth as followers of Christ; Sustain and Renew the spirit and vitality of the Emmanuel Church Family; and Serve Christ faithfully.
Adopted by the Rector and Vestry October 2006
web page: emmanuelrichmond.org
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
telephone: 804-266-2431
facsimile: 804-262-7165
